Hyundai Veloster Launch Date

05-January, 2012: The most enthralling product ever crafted by Korean car maker Hyundai Motors is none other than Hyundai Veloster, which has been unveiled at the Auto Expo. The supercar-like crossover coupe boasts an extremely sporty appearance from front as well as rear. The sportive hatchback is one of the best selling vehicles for Hyundai Motors globally is expected to be launched in India by this year end or else in the first quarter of 2014. Big bonnet and large air vents in the front are complemented well by the cornering sporty tail lamps and twin-exhaust pipe positioned below the rear bumpers.

Hyundai Veloster Price

There has been no announcement by the company in terms of price, but the exceptionally designed all new three-door hatchback-cum-coupe is expected to get a price tag of more than INR 10 Lakh. But with this high pricing also it will prove to be valuable product with its extra-ordinary features like ‘BlueLink technology’ and six way adjustable driver seat in addition to latest gadgets and gizmos.

Hyundai Veloster Review by Expert

Hyundai Veloster is a relatively new car by the South Korean car manufacturer. It has hit production in 2011. Apparently, hatchback by design, the compact 3-door sports coupe began selling in Korea in mid 2011 and late that year in US. Basically, the Veloster hatchback is for the young generation that needs looks, styling, and power under the hood and still wants to spend less for all this. First unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the Veloster by Hyundai Motors was placed as a replacement to Hyundai’s famous car Tiburon. Internationally, the Veloster hatchback has Ford Fiesta hatchback, BMW Mini Cooper, Honda Fit, Fiat 500c, Scion tC and the Volkswagen Beetle as its arch rivals. In India, perhaps there will be the Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle to give it fits. In India, with the average car buyer getting younger year by year, Hyundai is expected to bring this car here sooner than later.  

Characteristic feature of this car is its doors. Being a hatchback, it has four doors. Conventionally, hatchbacks have three or five doors. There is a single door on the driver’s side, there is a hatch or boot and there is front passenger door and there is a door you will love to find it and it is on the passenger side. Apart from this, there are couple of features that this sporty hatch has and it is equipped with BlueLink system from Hyundai that enables the driver to give voice command to the car and it also give alerts regarding any fault in the vehicle etc. This Hyundai four door car comes with 1.6L four cylinder petrol engine that delivers 138 hp and it is mated with a six speed manual transmission. An automatic transmission with dual clutch technology is also available on the international model.  

If Hyundai calls it coupe redefined, it is no exaggeration, as the car has the ability and looks akin to a sports coupe. Four doors, sporty outfit and 138 hp underneath all conjure to make this car really sporty. If someone is looking for a 14.16 kmpl mileage on a petrol car, and wants a head turner and leave people searching for a rear door handle on the driver’s side, a Veloster is the answer.  

Inside of this car is a real pleasure with lots of gizmos including a 7 inch touch screen with Hyundai BlueLink technology is at your service. You have lots of storage space inside – on the doors, between the seats. The panoramic sunroof just reveals the whole world to the occupants. Inside the Veloster there is hardly any space except the pillars that blocks your view.  

However, the Veloster preserves the drawback of hatchbacks. There is comfortable seating on the front but at the rear there is insufficient headroom for six footers. Besides Hyundai Veloster user reviews also suggest that car buyers are not so happy with the quality of plastic that is used inside the car. Overall, the car is meant for a small family of four people with kids at the back seat. There are liters of boot space sufficient for a family outing and the 138 hp engine with a turbo option also available gives the real power to the car making it take in sporty soul in a hatchback.

Hyundai Veloster Mileage and Fuel Efficiency

Internationally the Hyundai Veloster is available in petrol engines viz. 1.6 L 138 hp, 1.6L GDI 140 PS, and 1.6 L Turbo GDI 201 hp. In kilometer per liters, the manual transmission based Hyundai Veloster delivers an average of 9.91 kmpl in the city while on the highway it returns 14.16 kmpl. The dual clutch based automatic transmission Hyundai Veloster has a mileage of 10.27 kmpl in the city and 13.45 kmpl on the highway. In Indian conditions, Hyundai is expected to rev the engine much to make it return more mileage as an average hatchback in India returns around 13-14 kmpl and customers will expect the same from the Veloster.

Hyundai Veloster Models and Features

These are the details of the international version of Hyundai Veloster and the made for India Veloster may be altogether different.
 

In India, Hyundai could also think of putting a diesel motor under the hood. The six speed transmission could also be replaced by a five speed one and the dual clutch transmission may also be dropped altogether while the automatic transmission will remain intact.
 
 

Hyundai Veloster Engine, Power and Performance

In India, the Hyundai Veloster is expected to arrive in both petrol and diesel options. The petrol variant will have two engine options. One is the 1.6 L MPi (multi point fuel injection type) and a 1.6 L GDI (gasoline direct injection). A suitable diesel engine could also be in the offing.  

The 1.6 L MPi petrol engine has a power of 138 hp at 6300 rpms and a peak torque of 16 kgm at 4850 rpm. This engine is all aluminum built with double overhead camshaft. It has four cylinders and 16 valves with variable timing and direct injection at multi points. The best part of the engine is its sheer deliver of power and mileage. It offers a combined mileage of 13.45 kmpl with a city mileage of 9.91 kmpl.  

The 1.6 L GDi petrol engine on the other hand has a power of 140 PS at 6300 rpm and a peak torque just above the MPi one. This engine is also made of aluminum and has four cylinders. Only difference is that this engine has a gasoline direct injection system. This engine also has a similar mileage as that of the 1.6 L MPi one.  

A diesel engine option is also expected on the Veloster in India and it will be upto Hyundai whether to equip the Veloster with a diesel motor or not. 

Hyundai Veloster Pick Up and Acceleration

The 1.6 L MPi engine that has a peak power of 138 hp with a manual transmission has an acceleration of 10.7 seconds. While the same engine reaches to 100 kmph speed in 11.5 seconds with the automatic transmission in place. It has a maximum speed of 195 kmph with manual transmission while the automatic transmission reaches 190 kmph top speed.

The 1.6 L GDi engine with a peak power of 140 PS mated to a manual transmission is quicker than the MPi engine and reaches 100 kmph speed in 9.7 seconds while the same engine with an automatic transmission touches 100 kmph mark in 10.3 seconds. It has a top speed of 201 kmph with manual transmission and a little less with the automatic transmission on.

 

Hyundai Veloster Interiors and Features

A mere thought of entering the Veloster is interesting with the magical third door on the passenger side. The effects of the Suzuki Hayabusa image seems to pervade the interior as the dash seems more like the fuel tank of the bike. As soon as one enters, the binocular shaped instrument panel that has dual-cylindered large dials catch the attention leaving behind the appeal of the three-spoke steering with audio and other controls. Next thing that assumes the vision is the 7-inch digital display touch screen on the central console that has the Hyundai Blue Link and Navigation in place. The A pillar occupies lesser space and thus the driver has a more wider span and clear visibility.  

The Veloster inside has a seating for four adult people. The seats have been ergonomically designed for long as well short distance drive and these have pre warming facility. The gear lever is placed just at the right distance so that the drive need not stretch his hand to shift gears. Besides, the Bluetooth connectivity and AUX in for iPod is a plus that keeps you connected to the world outside as well as allows you to cherish your favorite numbers on the go.

The inside temperature is taken care of by the fully automatic climate control system that makes the ride cozy and comfortable for the front and rear passengers. And there is the panoramic sunroof. Open it to be in touch with the weather outside.

Hyundai Veloster Exterior and Features

If one is familiar with sports cars, he will definitely draw a close similarity between the Hyundai Veloster and Aston Martin One77 supercar and that is the exterior appearance. The front face of the car looks as if it had inherited the One77 face in toto. The same front intakes find their place on the Veloster but are not as functional as these are on the One 77.

Barring the height, anyone could be deceived by Veloster looks and assume it to be a One 77. The sides though are the ones that make the two cars different from each other. A single door on the driver side, move to other side and surprise! There are two doors. That added with the boot the door count goes to four. Conventionally, it is a three or five for coupe and hatchbacks.

Look it from the front and you will wonder when the almost flat bonnet merges with the front windscreen. Walk on your toe and you will get a view of the roof. Almost all blacked out. Reason: there is a big common sunroof for the front and rear passengers. Significantly, the rear hatch windscreen almost merges with the sunroof giving an impression of an all blacked out roof up to the hatch door handle. Wait, there is the twin-tail-pipe clad in chrome placed at the centre just draws your attention and signaling that the car is actually a sports car and not to be mistaken for a small hatchback.   

The front has eagle eye shaped headlamps, large dam and the big sized bumper has a special appearance for the fog lamps. Move to the side of the car and you will find the big five spoke 18 inch alloys doing their duty under bold wheel arches. The blacked out B pillar almost merges the distance between the front and rear seats. The rear has curved rear combination lamps that further enhance the appeal of the car. On the other side there are two doors, one for the front passenger and the other for the rear passengers. It means that if there are two persons who wish to seat at the rear, the first one has to shift to the other side so that the second one can enter. Common door problem.

Overall, the Veloster as its name suggests has a shape that supports velocity or speed. With a 138 hp engine under hood and a top speed of 201 kmph it easily mirrors an image of a sports car.

Hyundai Veloster Driving and Handling

Initial Hyundai Veloster reviews suggest that the 1.6 L engine be it mated to the manual or the dual clutch automatic transmission lacks the sporty thrust that the overall looks of the car convey. But a 201 kmph speed and a 10.7 seconds acceleration to 100 kmph makes the car sufficiently own sports cars traits. The Veloster also comes with a braking distance of 41.8 m which is decent. Hyundai Veloster road tests have revealed that the Hyundai car performs well in the city and highway equally and takes even the steep turns well with the help of the electric power assisted steering. MacPherson strut front suspension with coil and gas shockers and a 24 mm stabilizer bar takes care of the bumpy rides.

Safety Features in Hyundai Veloster

The Veloster has an array of safety features that make it almost invincible on road. Being a hatchback with strong sports coupe traits, the Veloster takes good care of its driver and occupants. The international version of Veloster comes with front, side and curtain airbags that deploy immediately in the event of a collision. Besides there are active headrests to take care of the head during an accident. Apart from this there is Anti-lock Braking system and electronic brakeforce distribution. A Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system takes care of the car in steep turns and does not let the tyres skid and the vehicle to drift it away from its path. Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Brake Assist System (BAS) are another additions to the safety features of the car.

Hyundai Veloster Accessories

The central console of the Veloster houses the 7 inch touchscreen display that also has push and knob controls to control the audio and navigation. You can plug any external device to the Aux and USB connection. The navigation system has a support for 10 languages. There is fully automatic climate control inside that keeps the temperature inside constant always. The steering has audio and cruise controls mounted on it to blend driving and entertainment. Other Veloster accessories are country specific and in India it will be available with a variety of choices for interior leather shades as well as alloy wheel types.   

Hyundai Veloster Conclusion

The final verdict on Hyundai Veloster is an uphill task. However, its sporty looks and four door structure makes it plausible. 138 hp engine and a peak speed of 201 kmph with acceleration of 10.7 seconds all conjure and try to bag the attention. Whereas the headroom for the rear passenger as well as inconvenience for the rear passenger entry withholds to reach it to a final word. All in all the Veloster is expected to be priced around Rs 9-10 lakh and at this price the fun to drive car with a strong brand compels one to drive it home.